Help Line: If printer doesn't like old ink, trick it

Help line: If printer doesn't like old ink, you can trick it

Q: Our HP Business Inkjet 2230 won't print, and it displays a message that the ink is out of date. Is there any way we can trick it into printing despite the expiration dates?

A: Being alerted to the fact that your ink is getting old and unreliable might be of benefit if you are about to print something. It might even be helpful in prolonging the life of a printer by preventing faulty ink from clogging the print heads. But the idea of forcing you to change a cartridge that still has usable ink in it seems a little pushy to me.

The good news is that not all HP ink cartridges with expiration dates block you from overriding this warning. Only HP printers that use HP 10 through HP 14 cartridges have this annoying and costly feature.

The quick workaround is to change your computer calendar back one year. This will trick the system and allow you to proceed with your print job. You can always restore the calendar to the correct date when you're done.

A longer-term fix is to power down and disconnect your printer, remove the battery inside the printer, leave it out for 10-15 minutes and then put it back in.

This resets the printer memory and will allow you to use your expired ink cartridges.

HP goes to some length on its website to explain the reasons for expiration dates. Keep these in mind if you decide to bypass the warnings .

Q: It appears that computers with AMD processors are cheaper than those with Intel processors. How reliable are the AMD chips, and are they as fast? Also, can you run the same programs? Are there any differences I would notice?

A: The short and simple answer is that the average computer user will see no difference in performance between a PC with an Intel processor versus one running on an AMD processor so long as they are similar in specifications and comparably configured.

If you are using your computer for word processing, surfing the Web, sending and receiving e-mail or running basic applications, you can pretty much go with either processor and be content.

You might consider spending a little more to get a computer with more random access memory, a bigger hard drive or even a larger, better-looking monitor. These are the things that will make your computing experience noticeably better .

Write Jay Lee at helpline@chron.com. You can view more questions and answers at the Help Line Blog at blogs.chron.com/helpline. Lee co-hosts the radio showTechnology Bytesfrom 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays on KPFT 90.1 FM. The program is also available on the Internet at www.geekradio.com. Lee cannot personally answer all reader questions.